Categories: Fitness

Does the TreadClimber Really Work?

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When you first see the infomercial for the TreadClimber it looks like it would be pretty effective. After all, it takes the best qualities from a treadmill, stair climber, and elliptical machine and puts them into one unit. Of course they get their models to make it seem like they used the device to get their physiques, but can this really work when regular people try it out?

Overview
Treadmills have been around for decades now, and are a staple to most gyms. But they can be high impact if you decide to run on them. Stair climbers provide a good burn, but can can pretty repetitive, and can burn you out if you’re not careful. Elliptical machines are nice because they’re low impact, and they’re one of the favorite pieces of equipment in any gym. A lot of people end up mixing up their workout between these three in order to get an all-around cardio workout that uses different parts of the legs and body.

The Claim
Bowflex claims that their TreadClimber combines the benefits of these different machines into one concise workout. They say that in the same time and same speed as a treadmill you can get a more effective and more efficient workout with this. They also say that it doesn’t take up as much space as a traditional treadmill,

The Hype
This is one of those infomercials that will really get you hooked if you start watching it for more than thirty seconds. It ropes you in because when you see someone using it they look like they’re having a good time, and that they really are getting a good workout without a lot of high impact training going on. It makes it really easy to picture yourself doing the exercise, and not having to bounce from machine to machine at the gym, being able to get a good workout in your own home.

The Cost
They’ve got one model that goes for $1000, and others that are $2200 and $3300. They have financing available, and they say that it’s easy but it involves getting a Nautilus credit card. Some say that the unit is overpriced, but they do let you try it out for six weeks to make up your mind, and that’s amble time to put it through its paces and see if the quality is there, and if you’ll use it enough to justify the expenditure.

The Commitment
This is an item you buy and use at home, so you’ll have to make room for it. There is a bit of risk involved here, just ask the countless number of people that have unused treadmills in their home that are still making payments on them. While this is supposed to be more effective than a treadmill, you’ll still have to use it, and you can fall for the same trap that gets people to buy treadmills, the one that goes “if I just had a treadmill in my home I’d use it all the time”.

Evaluation
The TreadClimber gets mixed reviews from those that have tried it, but it’s easy to see that it would be more effective than a treadmill because it’s on an incline so it’s like you’re always walking uphill, which is much harder than walking on a flat surface. It’s also a better bet than using a stepper because you are getting essentially the same benefit, but you have a wider range of motion.

One interesting point to consider is that the “treadles” do not move on their own, so you don’t have to try to keep the pace with them. They actually adjust to your pace, so unlike a treadmill where you can fall behind and have to scramble to catch back up you’ll be able to go at your own stride and have the machine match you.

Final TreadClimber Review

We’re giving the TreadClimber our Thumbs Up review. While there is mixed feelings on the price and a few disgruntled shoppers that don’t use it as much as they hope, there seems to be a majority of people that comment on its quality and its ability to provide an intense and quick workout, as advertised. It also gets high marks on not taking up a lot of space, which can usually not be said by most full size treadmills. It really boils down to finding the time in a busy or hectic lifestyle to use the machine and get the benefits.

Any time you have a larger purchase

like this, and a larger item with many moving parts, there’s going to be some users out there that experience a problem, either through the buyer’s remorse of spending so much, or because there’s a problem with the unit that needs fixing, which can be tough. But this doesn’t represent the majority of cases, it’s just that the few cases when it does happen spurs people to share their story.

Our Recommendation
These are particularly good for those that live in colder climates where it isn’t really feasible to go outside in the cold and snow and try to get a workout in, or drive to the gym. But at this price you don’t want to fool yourself into thinking that this will be the machine that finally gets you off the sofa and into shape. If you have a history of buying fitness equipment and not using it, this could be the pinnacle of those kind of purchases. But if you’re the kind that needs to put some monetary incentive behind your workouts, this would do the trick.

What do you think? Does TreadClimber work or not?

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View Comments

Christian says:

November 27, 2012 at 2:56 pm

It looks about half the size of a treadmill so that's a big plus. Unless you have a 5 bedroom house, treadmill will always look too bulky around your home. It also makes sense that each feet walk on separate surface, because that way it's a lot more like walking on real surface than on a moving floor. I'd love to try it out, but from what I can tell just by looking at the video, if treadmill is designed to run, then the treadclimber is designed to give you a workout like hiking. It's very interesting.